Download Infinite Potential: Mission 2

Infinite Potential: Mission 2
Coaster Creator - Tutorial
Your mission:
1. Use your understanding of energy transfer (potential to kinetic) to design a
roller coaster that has enough kinetic energy to complete a full run.
2. Use your understanding of energy loss to design a roller coaster that dissipates
enough energy (through friction) to stop safely at the end of its run.
Hi, I'm Madhu, Argonaut for Mission 2 of Operation: Infinite Potential.
To study tsunamis with Dr. Titov, I had to learn how energy is converted and
transformed. To do that, we actually started by
learning about roller coasters.
The science behind roller coasters and tsunamis
is surprisingly similar. Rapid energy transfers
between kinetic and potential energy make roller
coasters thrilling. Those rapid transfers are the
same reason tsunamis are so threatening.
Now it is your turn. Apply what you know about
Potential and Kinetic Energy and Energy Transformation to build a fun (but safe) roller
coaster.
I'll be with you each step of the way if you need help.
First, you will need to choose a design for your roller coaster car. Next, decide
how many cars you want.
This is an important choice. Notice that mass is part of the potential energy equation.
The more mass you have, the more energy you put in the system. More energy means
you can achieve greater velocity, and with greater velocity, you can get a higher score.
But be careful, because it also means your cars will be harder to slow down when it is
time to stop the ride. If you don't transfer enough energy via friction, your cars will
crash.
When you are designing your track, here is an important hint: the height of the
first hill is critical. Like the mass of the car, height is part of the equation for potential
energy, and will establish the total possible energy in your system.
Like most roller coasters, cars are pulled
up the first hill with a motor, but gravity
will eventually bring it down. The higher
the hill, the further the car has to fall. The
higher up you take your car, the more
energy your car is storing.
And that is what potential energy is: stored energy. When you look at your equation
for potential energy, you will see that height and gravity combine with mass to
determine the potential energy of the system.
If you build any hills or loops that are higher than the initial hill, your car won't have
the energy to climb it. The car will get stuck on the track, and you won't get a score.
Your car goes faster and faster as
you plummet down that first hill.
Look what happens to your kinetic
energy. It was zero at the top of the
hill. Now kinetic energy is increasing
as potential energy is decreasing.
Your car is rapidly transferring stored potential energy into kinetic energy: the energy
of motion.
As your car falls down the hill, gravity causes it to accelerate. The longer your car
accelerates, the greater the car's velocity. Now you can really see why that first hill is so
important.
The gravity and height in the potential energy equation translate into the
velocity of the kinetic energy equation.
The higher your hill, the faster
your car can go.
To continue the excitement, the
car is sent up another hill or loop.
As the height of this next hill or
loop increases, some of the
kinetic energy is converted back
into potential.
Once the car starts back down
the hill or loop, the car quickly
speeds up. This increase in speed
indicates that potential energy is
being converted back into
kinetic.
Your Mission:
1. Apply the principles of energy transfer to establish potential energy that
translates into enough kinetic energy to keep your roller coaster from getting
stuck.
2. Use your knowledge of energy dissipation (via friction and sound) to bring the
cars to a safe stop at the end of the track.
Good luck Argonaut. I will be with you each step of the way if you need help.